WILL YOU STILL LOVE IT TOMORROW?
Learn to predict which trends will pass so you end up with home decor that’s totally fabulous rather than a faded fad
When redecorating your home, it’s difficult to strike the balance between expressing your personality and not risking having dated decor in years to come. My advice is to always ignore what’s on trend. People set way too much store on trends and feel that their home has to somehow be ‘on trend’ – it doesn’t. Your home is your home, it’s about you and the things you love.
PREDICT THE PASSING TRENDS
There’s no hard or fast rule to dodge these, but fads do tend to take off quickly. A perfect example is a Moroccan-style rug, which I happen to love and didn’t know when I bought my antique rug that these rugs were going to become ubiquitous. If you love something today, it’s hard to know if you’ll love it in five years, but for me the test is if it’s super, super trendy right now, then it might not be so forever.
UPDATE OLD FURNITURE
If you do have a big-ticket piece which you bought years ago and it’s now dated considerably – like a sofa – there are ways of updating this. If it’s a good-quality lounge suite that still functions, the obvious solution is to have it reupholstered in a neutral tone to bring it into this decade. If you can’t afford that, you can change the look and feel with new cushions.
INVEST IN A CLASSIC COLOUR PALETTE
When it comes to decorating your walls, I would advise people looking to keep their homes timeless to opt for paint over wallpaper, as wallpaper is more costly to put up and replace. If you want to introduce colour, I suggest using accessories – lamps, cushions and rugs – rather than painting the walls.
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